 Smell water, feel water
As you swing right in the Peechi Road junction into Pattikadu Road, you can smell water. There are lots of trees on either side of this picturesque, traffic-free road, and, somehow, somewhere you can smell water.
As you stop in front of a board that says 'Peechi Dam', you can hear water. Not far away from where you stand but far enough to stay hidden from view, you can hear a great gush of water.
As you move forward, you can see water. It's a big dam (can store almost 4,000 million cubic ft) with water gushing out of its nostrils. And, when you stand right at the edge and "feel" the water striking the ground with immense force, you're glad that you're alive and enjoying Nature's gifts. The 117 steps you climb down to have a good view of the dam had been worth it, for sure.
The park that surrounds the dam is cool and is home to some rare trees. The view from the clock tower is simply stunning (but you've got to climb a lot of steps for that).
I had searched for 'Peechi Dam' on the Internet, and it had said that "If you're lucky, you may spot a tusker or two." Thus, I set into the thick forest near the dam. It was beautiful; birds chirping, small waterfalls here and there and the occasional elephant trumphet. Sadly, we didn't come across an elephant but did see, much to my delight and satisfaction, some elephant dung!
Peechi is a perfect place for a picnic. The greenery that surrounds this 700-ft dam is a visual treat. The water hits the ground with such force that you can actually hear it from quite a distance, and it's a very pleasant sound. Do venture into the forest, and you may spot a wild mighty elephant.
Peechi is about 23 km from Thrissur, Kerala. Several buses connect Thrissur with Peechi, and the roads are good. Boating is permitted in the reservoir and on lucky days one can see a wild tusker or two on the forested banks, which form part of the 125 square km Peechi-Vazhani sanctuary.
Srinivasa Ramanujam
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